The Abbotsford mom of a baby boy born while she was critically ill with COVID-19 is still fighting for her life in hospital.
According to the most recent update on the GoFundMe page in support of the family, Gillian (Gill) McIntosh remains in an induced coma and on a ventilator at Abbotsford Regional Hospital.
Meanwhile, the baby born to her and husband Dave was able to come home on Wednesday (Nov. 25), two weeks after his birth on Nov. 10.
The couple had been expecting their second child – they also have a three-year-old daughter – on Nov. 25, but Gill was hospitalized and diagnosed with COVID-19 on Nov. 6.
By Nov. 10, her condition deteriorated to the point where she required a ventilator to breathe, and the decision was made to deliver the couple’s baby by C-section that evening while she was in an induced coma.
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The baby, whose name has not been released, was placed in the neo-natal intensive care unit and was well enough to go home this week, but there has been no improvement in his mom’s condition.
“Gillian is very, very sick … The COVID-19 virus is still active,” states the GoFundMe update.
The page states that if Gillian is able to come off the ventilator, she is likely to have long-term complications and will be unable to return to her sales job at a Surrey screening equipment company.
“It may be many months before Gillian may be released from hospital. Once she returns home, it is anticipated that she will have difficulty with daily tasks, including caring for her young children,” the update states.
Dave is also unlikely to be able to return to his job as a machine operator for a Langley company. The update states that his sister and her family are helping him as he cares for their daughter and newborn son.
A GoFundMe campaign to support the family with their expenses had raised more than $78,000 as of Thursday afternoon (Nov. 26).
“Our entire family continues to be humbled by the generosity of the community at large. I am grateful for each and every kind thought, prayer, message and donation,” Dave stated.
The campaign can be found by searching “Please help this family” at gofundme.com.
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